Download courses available for the 2015-2016 school year

COURSES AVAILABLE FOR THE
2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR
ENGINEERING
Required Engineering Classes
• 9th grade Engineering Concepts
• 10th grade Engineering Applications
GSMST’s pillars of concentration:
• Engineering*
• Emerging Technology*
• Bioscience
* The Engineering and Emerging Technology pillars require two
additional engineering courses in addition to the two required
engineering courses.
Engineering Electives
If you have room in your schedule for an elective, you are encouraged to take an engineering elective.
Please talk to an engineering teacher to find out which course would best meet your needs.
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Appropriate & Alternative Energy***
Biochemical Engineering***
Computer Science Principles (Intermediate Programming)
AP Computer Science***
Nanotechnology & Materials Engineering***
Information Technology Essential
Introduction to 3-D Animation
Principles and Concepts of Animation
Advanced Animation and Game and App Design
Robotics and Mechatronics***
Advanced Robotics***
***Recognized as a fourth year science by the State Department of Education
Appropriate & Alternative Energy
• Non-renewable energy sources
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Coal
Oil
Natural Gas
Nuclear
• Renewable/alternative sources
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Solar
Wind
Biomass
Wave/Ocean
Geothermal
Hydro
• Integration of energy sources
Biochemical Engineering
• The highlights of this course investigates the quantitative aspects
of membrane transport and cell signaling pathways and how the
cell signaling modifies gene expression and/or cell function.
• We will look at regulation of cell growth and cell death as well as
regulatory mechanisms of gene expression and protein synthesis,
biotechnology processes including PCR, RNA silencing and bioimaging, molecular and imaging technologies used in biomedical
research and the development and delivery of biotechnology to
the marketplace.
Introduction to Animation and 3D Design
• Introduction to Animation and 3d Design is a foundations course that
serves as an introduction to the animation and 3d design industry.
• Emphasis is placed on career awareness, fundamentals of modeling,
storyboard creation, cameras and lighting. Students will learn how 3d
technology is used for film, broadcast and games and how it is rapidly
becoming the medium of choice for industrial design, military
simulations, and medical visualization.
• The standards are aligned with the interactive media standards in
Georgia’s technical colleges, thus helping to qualify students for
advanced placement should they continue their education at the
postsecondary level.
Principals and Concepts of Animation
• Create physical models and working prototypes, realistic
animations and virtual scenes to be used as communication and
marketing tools.
• Explore the manufacturing process, including materials
selection, in order to create the most appropriate solutions to
the given design problems.
• Build real prototypes – test to compare to virtual versions.
Programs used: 3DS Max, Inventor, Photoshop, Illustrator.
Advanced Animation and
Game & App Design
• Build on the concepts from the introductory course.
• Focus on individual long term projects on specific areas of
interest.
• Topic areas will include game design, product design, animation,
software physics, scene creation, software analysis, character
modeling, video production.
Computer Science Principles
• Develop the following skills using the Java language:
– algorithm development
– problem solving and programming
• Develop a working understanding of the internet including these
topics:
– common formats for data transmission
– web page creation
– providing interactive content using JavaScript
• Major objective is to foster a fundamental understanding of the
operation of computers and computer networks.
AP Computer Science
*Pre-requisite Computer Science Principles
Intended to give students an opportunity to complete the
requirements for a first semester computer science course offered
in a college setting.
• Students will develop the following skills
– algorithm development
– problem solving
– programming by using object-oriented methodologies
Information Technology Essentials
• Introduction to the computer hardware and software skills
- describe the internal components of a computer
- assemble a computer system
- install an operating system
- troubleshoot using system tools and diagnostic
software
• Covers the fundamentals of PC technology, networking, and
security
Nanotechnology & Materials Engineering
• Materials Science
– Metals, Ceramics, Polymers, Composites
– Material Properties
• Nanofabrication
• Surface energy and surface tension
• Characterization
• Nanoparticle synthesis
• Nano- and micro particle assembly
• Biomimetics and Biomaterials
Robotics and Mechatronics:
(Mechatronics is simply the combination of mechanical and electrical devices being controlled by a
program.)
• Build/program Lego Mind Storms robots using the Robot C language.
• Work in teams to build working robots to accomplish specific
predetermined goals.
Advanced Robotics
• Work independently and collaboratively building and programming
specialized robots using various programming languages.
• Use a variety of robotic kits or building custom designs from scratch.
• Available kits and projects include VEX, Tetrix, Bioloid, ROV, and FRC.
• Exposure to rapid prototyping with 3D printer and CNC manufacture with
mill, lathe, and router.
Research, Design & Project Management
(3rd year robotics course)
• Work independently and collaboratively building and programming
advanced robots using various programming languages.
• Students choose independent projects using a variety of robotic kits or
building from scratch. Available robot kits include VEX, Tetrix, Bioloid, ROV,
and FRC. More scratch built robots and unique applications are generally
pursued.
• Continue development of rapid prototyping with our 3D printer and CNC
manufacture with mill, lathe, and router.
• Many students use this course as an extension of their JFE or SCE projects.
HUMANITIES
• Language Arts
• Social Studies
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Humanities II – 10 grade
All students will take 10th grade World Literature AND one of the options below:
Teacher recommendation and the PSAT Index are used to place students
AP World History
Honors World History
• College Level Course
• Should be avid readers as there is
reading every night
• Students need to be self-motivated and
driven
• 8 Major Essays
• True World History course with more
emphasis on Asian History
• AP Exam
• Not as writing intensive
• Similar content but a different timeline
from the AP course
• Difficult to move from AP to Honors
during the year
• Great course for students who
aren’t strong readers/writers
• Not as much in-depth analysis
• More focused on Western History
American Studies
• All Juniors will take Gifted/Honors American Literature
then decide from Option A or B below:
Option A: AP Humanities
Option B: Gifted/Honors
AP US History
AP US Government
US History
Political Systems
Option A is:
Option B is:
• AP US and AP GOV are seamlessly integrated • US History is a challenging four year college
with American literature
preparatory course that provides a
• An advanced-level eleventh grade American
comprehensive, chronological survey of the
studies humanities course
history of the United States.
• This course culminates with two
• Political Systems provides students with
College Board examinations
fundamental understanding of their rights and
responsibilities as a citizen.
AP Language Arts
Seniors Choose One of the following
AP English Language and Composition
• This is a college level course for high school students interested in improving themselves as critical
readers, thinkers, and writers. Our emphasis is two-fold: reading strategies for the “expository,
analytical, and argumentative writing that forms the basis of academic and professional
communication" and writing from argumentative and analytical platforms. The course is designed for
those who love reading, writing, and discussion, or are at least willing to apply themselves to the
task.
AP English Literature and Composition
• This is a college level course for high school students interested in improving themselves as critical
readers, thinkers, and writers. These students are the ones willing to devote the energy necessary to
complete a course more rigorous and demanding than other high school English courses designed for
the college-bound students. The course attempts to teach students to write well about something
important and to develop in them the skills of a mature reader. In the AP course, students are
involved in both the study and practice of writing about literature.
AP Economics
Both courses are required for seniors
AP Macroeconomics
AP Microeconomics
• This course places particular emphasis • This course gives students a thorough
on the study of national income and
understanding of the principles of
price determination, and also develops
economics that apply to functions of
students’ familiarity with economic
individual decision-makers, both
performance measurers, economic
consumers & producers, within the larger
growth, and international economics.
economic system.
• The primary emphasis is on the nature and
functions of product markets and includes
the study of factor markets and the role of
government in promoting greater
efficiency & equity in the economy.
Humanities Electives: Language Arts
Both courses provide students who are interested in journalism with an
opportunity to explore and to experience the process involved in the
creation of a large publication, including preplanning, designing layouts,
copyrighting, proofreading, organizing visuals, and managing finances, all
of which involve creativity.
Journalism/Literary Magazine: 10 – 12
• Students will produce a literary magazine Infinitas
Journalism/Yearbook: 9 – 12
• This course involves the production and sale of the VANGAURD, the
GSMST yearbook.
Humanities Electives: Social Studies
Advanced Placement Comparative Government – one semester (open to 11th and 12th grades)
• This elective course examines a wide variety of political and economic systems such as authoritarianism,
communism, democratic socialism, and democracy in its many forms. The United States system of
governance is not emphasized in this course as the AP Unites States Government course focuses entirely
on the United States system. This course is especially suitable for GSMST juniors and seniors as it
complements the global approach that is the foundation of our tenth grade world history offerings, our
foreign language program, and the telepresence experience. Moreover, this course is a half-year course
and thus works well as a semester counterpart to the JFE program and for seniors seeking and advanced
half-year elective.
AP Human Geography: two semesters (open to all students)
• AP Human Geography is a year-long course designed to meet or exceed the experience of an introductory
one-semester college human geography course. The purpose of the AP course in Human Geography is to
introduce students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human
understanding, use, and alteration of Earth's surface. Students employ spatial concepts and landscape
analysis to examine human social organization and its environmental consequences. They also learn
about the methods and tools geographers use in their science and practice.
Humanities Electives: Social Studies
Advanced Placement European History – two semesters (open to 10th and 12th grades)
• This advanced survey course encompasses the years 1450 to the present. In specific, the course deeply
examines the political, diplomatic, intellectual, cultural, and economic evolution of European history. The
pedagogical approach emphasizes critical thinking skills and historical changes over time, as well as
analysis and synthesis. Intensive reading and writing assignments support the pedagogical approach
employed.
• The course will be offered to students in a hybrid 0 period/eCLASS format. The students will need to be
able to attend 2-3 days per week during 0 period for instruction and course work. This means that
students will have to provide their own transportation on these face to face meeting days. They will then
have the ability to work in eCLASS to keep up with the challenging AP European History curriculum.
Students will also have the opportunity to be grouped together into a Guided Study so they would be able
to ask questions and discuss course content with the teacher and their peers to increase understanding.
Please see Mr. McAuliffe if you have any questions or contact him at [email protected]
Humanities Electives: Social Studies
Advanced Placement Psychology – two semesters
(open to 11th and 12th grades)
• The AP Psychology course is designed to introduce students to the
systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of
human beings and other animals. Students are exposed to the principles
and phenomena associated with major subfields within psychology.
Students also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in
their science and practice. This course is particularly suited to GSMST
students as the course is equal parts science and social studies.
Controversial Issues: one semester (open to 11th and 12th grades)
• This elective class is designed for mature upper level students who are
able to confront issues, both local and abroad. The purpose of this class
is to explore different viewpoints and develop critical thinking skills
through classroom discussions. Topics include current events and issues
with social relevance.